Internal-combustion engine



April 1931- v. H. PALM 1,799,927

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed May 4, 1929 .5 Sheets-Sheet l April 7, 1931. v. H. PALM INTERNAL comsus'rlou ENGINE Filed May 4. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 7, 1931 UNITED VICTOR H. PALM, F BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE Application filed May 4,

My invention relates to internal combustion engines and'part'icularly to those of the reversible type.

My invention contemplates the use of compressed air to assist in reversing or starting of an internal combustionengine, and is particularly useful in connection with engines employed in the drilling of'wel ls, where there at this increased power, thus avoiding the necessity of employing an engine that is excessively large for ordinary drilling operations.

Another object of my invention is to provide a reversible engine of improved form,

25 thereby avoiding necessity for complicated and troublesome reverse mechanisms, such as are commonly used in connection with motors for drilling wells, and other places where frequent reversals are required.

Still another object of my invention is to provide means insuring that the fuel supply is cut oil. when the reversing controls are actuated.

A further object of my invention is to i provide a simplified and improved arrangement of reversing valve ports.

Que form which my invention may take is shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure l'is .an elevational sectional view of a two cylinder motor embodying my invention; Fig. .2 is a view taken on the line IIII of Fig. 1,; ,Fig. 3 is a view, on an enlarged scale,-of a portion of the valve mechanism of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the structure of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a View taken on the line VV of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a sectional plan view of a portion of the apparatus of Fig. 2; Fig. 7 is an elevational view of the sleeve valve of Fig. 4; Figs. 8 and 9 are views on the line VIIIVIIT and 1929. Serial No. 360,469.

IXIX respectively, of Fig. 7; Fig. 10 is a view of the rotary valve of Fig. 4, Figs. 11 and 12 are views taken on the lines .XIXI and XIIXII respectively of Fig. 10; Fig. 13 is a longitudinal sectionalview, on an 'enlarged scale, of a portion of the apparatus of Fig. 6; Fig. 14 is a view, taken on the line XIVXIV of Fig. 13; Fig. 15 is a detail view of the rod-supporting and locking member of Fig. 13; and Fig. 16 is a fragmentary view of Fig. 13, showing the parts in outer position.

I have herein shown my invention as employed in connection with a two cylinder motor of the two cycle type, the motor or power cylinders proper being indicated by the nu1nerals14 and 15, which are of the construction shown more clearly in Fig. 2. Air or pump cylinders 16 and 17 are mounted in tandem relation to the cylinders 14 and 15 respectively. Each of the cylinders 14 and 15 contains a piston 19 that is connected through a piston rod 20 with a piston 21 of the associated air cylinder.- The pistons 21 are connected to a crank shaft 22 by means of a connecting rod 23.

The crank shaft 22 is carried in bearings 24, 25 and 26, constructed as shown'more clearly in Fig. 1, to facilitate assembly and disassembly of the parts. A cam shaft 28 is driven from the crank shaft 22 by bevel gears 29 in a manner somewhat well-known in the art. The upper end of the shaft 28 carries cam 31 that has'a cam surface on its upper side for operating rocker arms 32.

The rocker arms 32 contain housings 33 at their outer ends. Compression springs 34 contained in these housings 33 being compressible between the upper end of such housing and the sleeve 35. The sleeve 35 is rigidly connected to a push rod 36 that operates against a valve stem 37 to open an intake valve 38. The valve 38 is normallyheld closed by a spring 39 that is interposed between the upper end of the cylinder and a collar 41 that is secured to the upper end of the valve stem.

Each of the cylinders 14 and 15 is provided with an exhaust port 42 that is uncovered by the piston at the end of its down stroke. During the downward travel of the piston 19, the

cam 31 is passin beneath the rocker arm 32 and compresses the spring 34. However, the valve 38 is not opened at this time because of the pressure within the cylinder. Since the motor is of the reversing type, special provision such as the use of the additional spring 34 is desirable to insure that the valve 88 will. be opened at the proper time to permit a charge of fuel to the cylinder, in either direction of movement of the motor. For this rca son, I so calibrate the spring 34 that when the port exhaust 42 is uncovered to relieve the pressure in the cylinder, there will be a quick opening of the valve 38 to insure that the cylinder will be properly scavenged and adequately charged before the exhaust port 42 is closed by the piston on its up stroke. As shown more clearly in Fig. 6, the cam disc 31 is provided on its peripheral edge with a cam surface 44 which can be used to operate spark timing mechanism not shown.

Each of the air cylinders 16 and 17 is of the form shown in Fig. 2, and they serve as metors to assist in moving heavy loads at one stage of operation, through admission of fluid pressure as hereinafter explained. At an other stage of operation, they supply pressure for scavenging the cylinders 1415 and air for mixing with the gasoline or other fuel to form an explosive charge.

Each of the air cylinders is provided with a port 45 that serves both as an intake and a discharge port. The ports 45 communicate with openings 46 and 47 respectively (Fig. 4) of a valve casing 48, and flow through these ports 46 and 47 to and from the cylinders is controlled by a sleeve valve 49 and a rotating valve 51, the rotating valve being rigidly connected to the cam shaft 28, so that it will turn in timed relation to the movement of the crank shaft and of the pistons 19. With the crank shaft 22 being driven in one direction and with the piston of the cylinder 15 at the end of its down stroke, the valve members will occupy the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5. lVith the engine running in a given direction the sleeve valve 49 is turned to the position shown in Figs. 4 and 7, so that ports 53 and 54 thereof will register with the port and a passage 55 respectively of the valve casing 48. In this position, the opposite ports 56 and 57 of the sleeve will register with the port 47 leading to the other cylinder and to the passage 55 respectively, the passage 55 leading through a conduit 58 through a mixing chamber 59 to a storage reservoir 61 (Figs. 1 and 2).

The rotary valve 51 is provided with a transfer port- 62 which is brought into registry with the ports 53-54 and 5657 respectively of the sleeve valve so as to permit of flow from the cylinders 16 and 17 through the ports 45, to passage 55 and to the storage chamber 61, upon upstroke of the pistons 21.

Air is admitted to the cylinders 16 and 17 on the down stroke of the pistons from an air intake chamber 63 through a passage 64 in the upper end of the rotary valve 51 through a port 74 in the rotary valve 51, which is brought into position to permit flow through ports 53 and 56 in the valve sleeve alternately.

This air may be drawn in either past a check valve 66 in the upper end of the casing that normally closes ports 67 or may be supplied under pressure through a port 68, from a suitable compressing unit not shown. In the latter case, the air may be under such pressure that it will cause the cylinder 16 and its piston to function as a motor and assist in driving the crank shaft while in the former, the air will be drawn in past the check valve 67 and be utilized on the up stroke of the piston to serve to scavenge power cylinder 15, and to provide air for the fuel charge.

as above-described, the valve parts are shown in the positions which they occupy during the downward or intake stroke of the piston in the cylinder 16, compression of a previous charge occurring in the cylinder 17. Assuming that compressed air is being used to assist in driving the crankshaft 22, air is admitted to the cylinder 16 from the air chamber 63, interior of the rotary valve 51, past ports 74 and 56 in the rotary valve 51 and the valve sleeve 49 respectively, through port 47 in the valve casing and past port 45 in the cylinder 16. The compressed air in admitted to the cylinder 16 for substantially 140 degrees of crank travel at which time communication between the port 7 4 of the rotary valve 51 and the'port 56 of the valve sleeve is cut off, expansion of the air driving the piston downward.

The ports 53 and 56 of the valve sleeve and the port 74 of the rotary valve are L-shaped and the legs of the ports are cooperative in the direction of rotation of the rotary valve at the point of cut-oil. This arrangement of the ports gives a substantially full port volume until the ports cut-off.

When the piston in the cylinder 16 reaches the end of its down stroke, an exhaust port 52 in the rotary valve is brought into registry with the leg of the port 56, at which time the air escapes through passage 52a in the rotary valve, through the valve casing 48 to the atmosphere. The air in the cylinder 16 exhausts down to atmospheric pressure so that the volume of the compression charge which is delivered to the reservoir 61 during the upstroke of the piston 21 will be uniform.

As above mentioned, compression of a charge in the cylinder 17 occurs during the intake or downward stroke of the piston in the cylinder 16, during which time the shaft 28 is constantly rotated, carrying with it the rotary valve 51. During the upward travel of the piston in the cylinder 17, the transfer port 62 is being moved into open position,.so that when the chargein the cylinder has been compressed sufiiciently, com munication is established between the ports 53 and T54 of the valve sleeve, through the transfer port 62. The charge of air flows through these ports through passage .55, past port 58 though the mixing chamber .59 to the storage reservoir 61. Flow through the transfer port .62 will be out off at substa-ntially the same .time that the piston reaches the upward end of its stroke, .at which time the port 74 establishes communication with the .ports l6 and 53 to admit air to the cylinder 1701a :the downstroke of its piston. The charge in the opposite cylinder is now being compressed prior to the port .62 establishing communication between the cylinder and the reservoir.

VV'hen air under pressure is not used to assistin driving the motor, the air will be drawn in past the check valve 67 to charge theair cylinders in the same manner as heretofore described in connection with the high pressure air. However, as high pressure air is not used, the air charge will be sucked into the air cylinder as long as the port 74 maintains communication between air chamber 63 and each cylinder alternately. The port 52 serves as an intake port and establishes communication through the passage 52a to the atmosphere to supply additional air for the charges, thus assuming a uniform volume charge to each cylinder.

As above indicated, the reservoir 61 will receive charges alternately from the cylinders 1 6 and l7 upon upstroke of their respective pistons. The air which is directed to the storage chamber 61 is mixed with gasoline or other fuelin the mixing chamber 59, the gasoline being supplied thereto past an inlet valve 71 that is controlled as hereinafter explained. An explosive mixture thus enters the chamber 61 and from the chamber 61 passes through pipes 72 and 73 to the cylinders14 and 15 respectively, depending upon which of the intake valves .38 is open, it being understood that there is a constant pressure within the chamber 61. V

It will be seen that if the motor isstopped with the pistons 21 at an intermediate point in'their path of travel, admission of fluid pressure through the port 68 of Fig. 4 will tend to continue the'interrupted movement, in other words, continuing the operation of the motor in the direction that it was moving when it came to rest. In order to reverse the motor, so that it will start in the opposite direction after having come to a stop, I shift the position of the valve sleeve 49, which is actuated by a pull rod as hereinafter ex-' plained.

It now it is desired to reverse the direction 1 of the motor, the supply of fuel is cutoff by 53 and 56 out of registry with the ports 416 and 47 respectively and to move t-heports :54 and 57 .out of registry with the passage :55.

Ports 75,-7.6, 77 and 78 of the valve sleeve.

which are v removed from :the ports 53, .54, 56 and 5.7 .are brought into registry with the passageway 55 and ports 46a and 47a respectively.

In order to effect communication between the intake chamber .63 .and :the cylinders 16 and 17 alternately, I provide an L-shaped port 7-7 in the rotary valve, that is offset approximately 70" from the port 74. The ports 46a and 47 a are connected by passageways .80 with ports 46 and 47 respectively, as shown more clearly in Figs. .3 and 4'. It will be seen that communication is thus established between the ports 78 and 79 and the ports 46 and 47.

As the valve v51 rotates, the port 77 is brought into registry alternately with the ports 78 and 79, thereby providing communication between such ports and the interior of the valve. Similarly, a transfer port 81 of the rotary valve is brought into registry alter nately with ports "78 and 79 which in turn communicate with the semi-annular passageway 55 that communicates with the port 58 which leads to the mixing chamber and the storage chamber 61.

It will thus be seen that with the pistons intermediate the ends of their strokes and with the valve sleeve turned in such way that when the piston on its down stroke will receive airthrough the intake chamber 63, the motor will be driven in one direction, while with the valve sleeve in the other position of adjustment, the piston in the other air cylinder will be in communication with the intake chamber, so that in either case, if fluid pressure is being supplied through the port 68, the piston of the air cylinder in communication therewith will be given a downward impulse, and the other piston can move upwardly to discharge into the airchamber 61.

It will further be seen that during movement ofthe engine, the connections of the air cylinder and the air intake chamber 63 and the storagechamber 61 will be reversed during each revolution of the rotary valve 51.

The sleeve valve 49 is oscillated by means of a pull rod 86 that has connection with an arm-87 which is secured to the sleeve, as shown more clearly in Figs. 3 and 6. The rod 86 extends into a sleeve 88 that is connected to the gas control valve 89 through a universal joint connection 91. The rod isslidably supported in a block 92 that has a key way through which a key 93 that is carried by the rod 86 "may pass when the rod is turned to bring such key 93 into registration with the key 'way. This movement results in turning of the valve 89 to closed position to cut off the supply of fuel. The sleeve has a key way for the key 93, so that the valve will be turned, when the rod 86 is rotated.

When the rod is drawn from its position in Fig. 6 to its outermost position, the valve sleeve will be given the desired degree of r0- tation, and while the key 93 is passed out of the sleeve and through the block 92 a second key 94 that is carried by the rod still lies above the key way of the sleeve, so that the rod 86 can then be turned to open the valve 89. The valve 71 may be an ordinary butterfly type valve which is manually operated to control the supply of fuel, and the valve 89 is a safety valve to insure that the supply of fuel to the motors is cut off automatically upon changing the positioning of the valve sleeve, thus rendering it unnecessary to depend upon the operator remembering to close the butterfly valve.

It will be understood that various forms of reversing valve mechanisms other than the rotatable sleeve 49 could be employed and that the arrangement of ports can be readily varied to render the valve mechanism adapted to installations having more than two cylinders.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with a pair of power cylinders of the internal combustion type, of an air cylinder mounted in tandem with respect to each of the power cylinders, a piston in each air cylinder connected to the piston of its associated power cylinder, an air intake for the air cylinders, a discharge conduit leading from said cylinders and having communication with the power cylinders, a crank shaft driven by the pistons of the power cylinders, a rotary valve driven by said shaft, valve passageways controlled by said valve and arranged to effect communication between eachof said air cylinders and the intake and discharge openings alternately during each revolution of the said valve, and a sleeve valve movable to reverse the order in which the said air cylinders are connected with the intake and the discharge respectively.

2. The combination with a pair of power cylinders of the internal combustion type, of an air cylinder mounted in tandem with respect to each of the power cylinders, a piston in each air cylinder connected to the piston of its associated power cylinder, an air intake for the air cylinders, a discharge conduit leading from said cylinders and having communication with the power cylinders, a crank shaft driven by the pistons of the )ower c linders a rotar valve driven b said shaft, and valve connections effective during rotation of said shaft for placing one of the air cylinders in communication with said intake and the other cylinder in communication with the said discharge during one stroke of the pistons in the power cylin ders and for effecting a reversal of such connections during another stroke of the pistons in the power cylinders, while the shaft is rotating in one direction, and means for reversing the order of said valve connections when it is desired that the said shaft shall rotate in the opposite direction.

3. The combination with a two cycle internal combustion engine having an inlet valve, a discharge port, a reversing valve, and a cam shaft, of yieldable means for normally holding the inlet valve closed, a rocker arm oscillated by rotation of said cam shaft in either direction, and a yieldable device interposed between said rocker arm and said valve for forcing the valve open, the said yieldable device having greater resistance to deflection than the said means for holding the valve closed.

l. The combination with a two cycle internal combustion engine having an inlet valve at one end and a discharge port adjacent to the other end, a reversing mechanism, and a cam shaft, of means for yieldably holding the valve closed, and means actuated by rotation of the cam shaft in either direction for imposing opening pressure on said valve during the explosive stroke of the piston, the said pressure being greater than the yieldable force tending to hold the valve closed, but insufficient to overcome the pressure within the cylinder until the piston has reached the exhaust port.

5. The combination with a pair of power cylinders, of the internal combustion type, of an air cylinder mounted in tandem with respect to each of the power cylinders, a pis ton in each air cylinder connected to the piston of its associated power cylinder, an air intake for the air cylinders, a discharge conduit leading from said cylinders and having communication with the power cylinders, a crank shaft driven by the pistons of the power cylinders, a valve timing device having stationary ports connected to the said air cylinders, a sleeve valve having sets of ports therein disposed 90 degrees apart, the said sleeve being oscillatable to bring one of said sets of ports into registry with the stationary ports, a rotary valve having a port for effecting communication between the said intake and each of said air cylinders, and a transfer port in said rotary valve for establishing communication between said air cylinders and said power cylinders during the compression stroke of the air cylinders.

6. The combination with a pair of power cylinders, of the internal combustion type, of an air cylinder mounted in tandem with respect to each of the power cylinders, a piston in each air cylinder connected to the piston of its associated power cylinder, an air intake for the air cylinders, a discharge conduit leading from said cylinders and having communication with the power cylinders, a crank shaft driven by the pistons of the power cylinders, a valve-timing device having stationary ports connected to the said air cylinders, a sleeve valve having sets of ports therein disposed 90 degrees apart, the said sleeve being oscillatable to bring one of said sets of ports into registry with the stationary ports, a rotary valve having a port for effecting communication between the said intake and each of said air cylinders, and reversing means for moving the said sleeve valve to bring the other set of ports into registry with the stationary ports to effect reverse connections to the air cylinders.

7. An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 6, in which the ports in the sleeve valve and the rotary valve are L-shaped and arranged to have their maximum openings at the point of cut-ofi in either direction of rotation of the rotary valve.

8. An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 6, in which the rotary valve is provided with additional means for efiecting communication between the air cylinders and the atmosphere on the down stroke of their pistons.

9. An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 6, in which the rotary valve is provided with a passageway communicating with the atmosphere, and ports engaging with the legs of the sleeve valve L ports to effect communication between the said passage and the air cylinder on the down stroke of their pistons and in either direction of rotation of the rotary valve.

10. The combination with a two cycle internal combustion engine having an inlet valve, a discharge port, and a cam shaft, of means for timing the operation of said inlet valve in either direction of rotation of the cam shaft, comprising a rocker arm, a yieldable device interposed between said rocker arm and said valve for forcing the valve open, and a cam mounted on said cam shaft having a lift portion for engaging the rocker arm before the piston has reached the discharge port.

11. In a reversible internal combustion engine, in combination, a reversing valve, a fuel control valve, means operatively connecting said valves, and stop means positioned to prevent movement of the reversing valve into reversing position while the said fuel valve is in open position.

12. In a reversible internal combustion engine, in combination, an oscillatory reversing mechanism movable into position for effecting reversal of the direction of rotation of the engine, a fuel control valve, an operating connection between said reversing mechanism and said valve, and stop means cooperating with the said connection, whereby the said reversing mechanism is locked against movement when the said valve is in open position.

13. In a reversible internal combustion engine, in combination, an oscillatory reversing mechanism movable into position for effecting reversal of the direction of rotation of the engine, a fuel control valve, a lost-motion operating connection between said reversing mechanism and said valve, and stop means cooperating with the said connection, whereby the said reversing mechanism is locked against movement when the said valve is in open position.

14. In a reversible internal combustion engine, the combination with reversing mechanism therefor, of a fuel control valve, an actuating lever for the reversing mechanism, a sleeve member operatively connected with said valve, a rod slidably extended in the sleeve member and having a key connection therewith, the key being broken adjacent to one end of the rod, means connecting said lever and said rod, a block for slidably supporting the rod, and a keyway in the block, the said key terminating adjacent to the block and normally in alinement with the said key way when the said valve is closed.

15. I11 a reversible internal combustion engine,the combination with reversing mechanism therefor, of a fuel control valve, an actuating lever for the reversing mechanism, a rod having lost-motion operating connection with said valve, and connected to said actuating. lever, a block for slidably supporting the rod, a passageway in the block, and a projection on the rod in abutting engagement with the block and movable into alinement with said passageway when the said valve is closed.

In testimony whereof I, the said VICTOR H. PALM, have hereunto set my hand.

VICTOR H. PALM. 

